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Objective

In this lesson we’ll discover how God reveals His character and actions to us through the rich meaning of His names in Scripture.

Key Verse

Proverbs 18:10: The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Introduction

Names carry tremendous significance. We use names to identify unique people, to express something important about their character, and to represent their authority. When an ambassador speaks “in the name of” a president or king, that ambassador carries the full weight and authority of the leader who sent him.

In biblical times, names held even deeper meaning than they do today. Consider Jacob, whose name meant “one who takes another’s place by trickery.” This perfectly described his character—he was always scheming to get ahead through deceit. But when God changed his heart, He also changed Jacob’s name to Israel, meaning “a prince with God” (Genesis 32:28).

Genesis 32:28: Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

God’s names work the same way: they reveal deep truths about His character and nature. When we call upon the name of the Lord, we’re not speaking magical words. The power comes from the Person whose character those names describe. God’s names help us understand who He is and how He relates to us.

Genesis 4:26: Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

1 Kings 18:24: Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.

Romans 10:13: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

This is why the Third Commandment given to Israel commanded God’s people to honor His name. To misuse God’s name is to dishonor God Himself.

Exodus 20:7: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Throughout Scripture, we discover many beautiful names and titles for God. In this lesson, we’ll explore two main areas that help us understand how God reveals Himself through His names:

• Three Great Names (Elohim, Yahweh, and Adonai)
• One Great Description (How God described His character to Moses)

Three Great Names

The Old Testament contains many names, titles, and descriptions for God. But three names stand out as the most significant and frequently used: Elohim, Yahweh, and Adonai. Each one reveals important truths about who God is and how He works in our world.

➤ Elohim

The name Elohim appears in the very first verse of the Bible, making it the first name we encounter for God in Scripture. This name comes from the root word El, which means “strong one” or “mighty one.” It’s significant that we meet God first as the powerful Creator before we learn about His other wonderful qualities.

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth.

Four important truths help us understand the meaning of Elohim:

First, this name emphasizes God’s awesome power and strength. The name El or Elohim means “strong one,” perfectly fitting for the God who spoke the universe into existence. We see God’s incredible power in creation before we discover any of His other qualities.

Second, the name El is sometimes used in the Old Testament to describe false gods who pretend to have power. But God makes it clear through the prophet Isaiah that these pretender gods cannot create anything, unlike the true God who created everything.

Isaiah 43:10: You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

Third, we often find the name El combined with other words that reveal specific aspects of God’s character. These combinations help us understand the many ways that God shows His strength and power. Here are some of the more familiar names we find in the Old Testament:

Name	What the Name Means
El Elyon	The Most High God (Genesis 14:19)
El Olam	The Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33)
El Shaddai	God Almighty (Genesis 17:1)
El Roi	The God Who Sees Me (Genesis 16:13)
El Gibbor	Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)

Fourth, Elohim is actually a plural word, literally meaning “Gods,” even though Scripture clearly teaches that God is one.

Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

From the very beginning of the Bible, we see hints of the Trinity. The word “us” in this verse shows perfect fellowship and cooperation within God between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God existing in three Persons working together in perfect harmony. (We’ll study this more in the next lesson.)

➤ Yahweh

The most personal and sacred name that God revealed to His chosen people is Yahweh. This is sometimes called God’s covenant name because He revealed it specifically to the Israelites as part of His special relationship with them.

Exodus 6:2-3: God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord [Yahweh]. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by my name the Lord [Yahweh] I did not make myself fully known to them.”

Yahweh appears more frequently in the Old Testament than any other name for God. We don’t know exactly how this name was pronounced because ancient Hebrew was written only with consonants (YHWH), and the Jewish people considered God’s personal name so holy that they stopped speaking it aloud. In English Bibles, this name is often written as Jehovah, and many translations use the word LORD in capital letters to show when the Hebrew text uses YHWH.

(Notebook Moment: How does it make you feel to know that God chose to reveal His personal name to us? What does this tell you about His desire for a close relationship with His people?)

The name Yahweh comes from the Hebrew word that means “to be” or “to exist.” God Himself explained this when Moses asked what name he should use when speaking to the Israelites.

Exodus 3:13-15: Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.'” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord [Yahweh], the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

God was declaring that He is the eternally existing One—the God who has always been, is now, and always will be. He depends on nothing and no one for His existence. This is why the Jewish leaders were so angry when Jesus used the words “I AM” to describe Himself. They understood that Jesus was claiming to be equal with Yahweh in heaven.

John 8:58: “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

Throughout the Old Testament, we find Yahweh combined with other words that show us how God acts toward His people. Here are a few of the combinations we read in the Old Testament:

Name	What the Name Means
Yahweh Jireh	The Lord provides (Genesis 22:14)
Yahweh Sabbaoth	The Lord of hosts (Joshua 5:14)
Yahweh Tsidkenu	The Lord our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)
Yahweh Rapha	The Lord who heals (Exodus 15:26)
Yahweh Shalom	The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24)

Each of these combinations reveals something wonderful about how our eternal, self-existing God chooses to care for His people.

Adonai

While El is a general word for God and Yahweh is His personal name, Adonai is actually a title that means “Ruler,” “Lord,” “Owner,” or “Master.” This name emphasizes God’s complete authority and control over all creation.

Genesis 15:2: But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord [Adonai], what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?”

Abram uses the name Adonai for the first time in the Bible, expressing his relationship of submission to God. He recognizes that God alone is the rightful master and owner of everything that exists.

When we read “Lord” in the New Testament referring to Jesus Christ, this is the same concept as Adonai in the Old Testament. We see this powerfully demonstrated when Thomas encountered the risen Christ and made a remarkable declaration of faith.

John 20:28: Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas was using the full force of Old Testament language to acknowledge Jesus as both his Adonai (Lord and Master) and his Elohim (God). This wasn’t just an expression of surprise. It was an expression of worship and recognition of Jesus’ complete divinity and authority. The complete authority of God and the deity of Christ is what we acknowledge when we call upon the name of the Lord.

Romans 10:13: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

(Notebook Moment: In what areas of your life do you find it most challenging to acknowledge God as your Adonai—your Master and Owner? How might recognizing His loving authority change your perspective on these challenges?)

One Great Description

When God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, He revealed His name with the phrase “I AM WHO I AM.” But God wanted Moses to understand even more about His character and nature. On Mount Sinai, after giving Moses the Law, God gave Moses a fuller revelation of what His name really means.

Exodus 34:5-7: Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

God described His name not with more titles or words, but by revealing His character and how He acts toward us. Notice the beautiful qualities that make up God’s name:

• Compassionate and gracious
• Slow to anger
• Abounding in love and faithfulness
• Maintaining love to thousands
• Forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin
• Just in punishing the guilty

This is how God describes His covenant name—not with abstract concepts, but with real qualities that affect how He relates to us every day. And this description finds its fullest expression in Jesus Christ. Every one of these characteristics of God is perfectly displayed in Christ and demonstrated at the cross.

Acts 4:12: Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

The new covenant that God established through Christ shows us God’s eternal faithfulness to His character. What God proclaimed about His name to Moses, He proved true in sending His Son to die for our sins.

(Notebook Moment: Which of these qualities of God’s character do you most need to remember and experience in your life right now? How does knowing these aspects of God’s name encourage you in your current circumstances?)

Conclusion

In the Bible, names reveal both character and authority. This is certainly true of what God has revealed to us about Himself through His various names. But names also represent the power and authority of the person who bears them.

Jesus Christ perfectly reveals the Father to us. This is why the name of Jesus expresses every truth we discover in Elohim, Yahweh, and Adonai. When we pray in the name of Jesus, we’re approaching God with the authority that Christ has given us. When we serve others in His name, we represent His character and power. And one day, every knee will bow before the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:10: At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

The names of God are not just ancient words from an old book—they are present realities that describe the God who loves you, saves you, and walks with you every day. When life feels overwhelming, remember that His name is a strong tower where you can find safety. When you feel weak, remember that His name means “strong one.” When you feel alone, remember that His personal name Yahweh shows He wants a close relationship with you. When you struggle with submission, remember that His name Adonai reminds you that He is the loving Master who always knows what’s best.

The God whose name means “I AM” is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His character never changes, His love never fails, and His power never diminishes. You can trust completely in the name of the Lord.

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